


Winter Storm

by asraidevin



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cold Weather, Comfort Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Rescue Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 07:00:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4091428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asraidevin/pseuds/asraidevin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Inquisitor and her party get trapped in a snow storm and Cullen leads a rescue party. Then he takes over caring for the exhausted Inquisitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cold, Wet and Cullen-less

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Wet Cullen](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/120142) by Greendelle. 



> I was inspired by Greendelle's wet Cullen picture and I wanted to write a short piece where he and Female Inquisitor were caught in the rain. Instead it turned out to be a snow storm that resulted in a rescue mission.

Dani was soaked to the core. To her bones. She would never be warm or dry again. She was going to die out here in the endless rain.

"It's stalking us," she told Varric, as she huddled in a tent trying to play Wicked Grace. They weren't far from Skyhold, less than a day, but the endless rain drove them to hide.

"It's rain, Danielle. It can't stalk us. It's just rain."

She shook her head. "It's a trick. Someone or something is sending us a sign. Go home."

"You're just whiny because you miss Curly."

"He's warm." Better to go with a version of the truth than be teased mercilessly into admitting the whole truth. Had she learned that from Varric?

He gave her a look. Somewhere between "Uh-huh sure" and "That's the biggest load of bullshit I've heard."

She grinned.

"Is that what you do up in his tower? Cuddle?"

"Of course. While we look out his broken roof at the stars."

She sighed deeply. She really missed Cullen. His warm body, his reassuring presence. His kisses.

Dorian pushed the flap of the tent open. "Bull's snoring. I saw the light in here. Deal me in."

She needed requisition some bigger tents for these group meetings.

"What are we gossiping about?"

"Cuddling with Curly," Varric answered, before Dani could make something up.

"Oh the delish Commander. I'll admit to being a little jealous of our dear Danielle in snapping him up," Dorian drawled. He twirled his mustache for effect and then winked at her.

Dani rolled her eyes. "I'm just going to hop on a horse and ride the rest of the way to Skyhold."

"I doubt that. The rain is turning to snow. We may be stuck here."

Dani pushed the tent flap back. "Fuck." She let it drop back. They should have pushed on. They were almost in the damn mountains, another couple of hours. And someone would have fallen off a horse from exhaustion. There was no good answer. No good decision.

"We should let the horses go," she said. "Send them back for warmer ground. We can hunker down here a few days. Right?" It was her, Dorian, Varric and Bull. They should have enough rations to last a few more days.

Dorian and Varric looked skeptical.

"What if they freeze to death? We'll take what we can carry once it warms up. We can have soldiers come back for the rest."

She swallowed hard.

"I'd hate for them to die, freeze," Dorian said.

So they unsaddled the horses and sent them off. She imagined what Master Dennet would berate her, but there was no good answer. The snow increased, and she prayed she'd made the right choice.

Sleep eluded her once Varric and Dorian retired. She watched out her flap as Dorian crawled into the tent he now shared with Iron Bull. How had that happened? She had no idea.

A 'Vint' and Qunari. Crazy world they were living in.

She rubbed her chest. Jealous. She wanted to be curled up with Cullen. Here. At Skyhold. Somewhere. Anywhere. She tried not to let the strain of being apart bother her. They had separate jobs. But sometimes, she wished he could just accompany her.

Damn him and his duty. He had good men under him, but he trusted no one to do his job. He wanted, needed to be there to train the men in combat. He had to oversee the outposts. Perfectionist was his problem. He couldn't trust anything to be done by half measures.

The result was he neglected his needs, forgoing food and drink and sleep. Coupled with the effects of withdrawal, she worried about him constantly. She threatened him with Sera and Cole watching him to make sure he took care of himself.

She pulled the blanket tighter over herself. It would be over, eventually. They would defeat Corypheus, or die trying. And then, things might be simpler.

It was hard to say.

She hoped. And then consciousness drifted away.

 

 


	2. Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen worries when Dani doesn't return on time. This was short. It was longer but I found a mix up in POV.

The increasing snow outside Skyhold had him worried. They'd been gone too long. She had been gone too long.

He pressed his fingers to his eyes. "Cassandra, you and Leliana will have to take care of things. I'm taking a search party to find Dani— the Inquisitor. And the others."

Cassandra examined him, for signs of madness he assumed. She nodded after a long moment. "Okay."

He sighed, relieved she didn't argue as he expected. He didn't have time. Sera stood against the wall near the front gate. "Are we going to find your lady love?" she asked.

"The Inquisitor? Yes." But not you. Can he say that? Likely he'll get cake in his boot, or another wobbly desk leg.

He sighed. He couldn't really turn down extra help. As he walked through the assembled soldiers, he found Cole, the strange boy with the stranger hat, who he can't quite remember. Dagna walked around handing out healing potions.

There's Solas, who nodded, but kept his distance. Blackwall who saluted. "Want to help out if I can sir."

Cullen nodded, but a shout from the battlements drew his, everyone's, attention. There was a few moments commotion as something was spotted on the horizon. Eventually it was discovered ito be a horse. Void of a saddle or bridle.

Someone called out the horsemaster. He confirmed that it's one the Inquisitor took with them. Cullen ordered everyone to march out.

The snow slowed their progress. After four hours, they came across someone in the distance. Unless it was a pilgrim, which he doubted that after the storm they had.

Cullen broke away from the group, he ran through the snow. His heart thudded in his chest that had little to do with his exertions.

There stood Dani, looking exhausted, scared and faded. He wrapped her up in his arms, holding her as if he'd never let her go. She clung to him.

"You're alive," he said. "We're so worried. I couldn't sit and wait. You can yell at me once you are home, bathed and tucked into bed."

"Yell at you?"

"For coming to find you. You've threatened me before. Where have you been?"

"The rain stalked us from the coast to here. And then it turned to snow. We let the horses go last night. I hope they are still alive."

"One showed up at Skyhold encrusted in ice. I'm sure Dennett will want to chastise you."

Voices around them reminded them they weren't alone. The soldiers caught up and Varric, Dorian and Bull stared at them.

Cullen let go of Dani reluctantly. "Can all of you continue on? It's about four hours."

Dani shook her head. "Please tell me you brought a healer and potions. He won't talk about it, but Bull hurt his foot."

Soldiers sent up tents. A few soldiers returned to Skyhold to deliver the good news.


	3. Our Tent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sweet reunion.

"How long ago were we supposed to return?" Dani asked, once they were alone in his tent. Their tent. That was an adjustment in mind. As they got closer, their lives no longer had a clear division, they merged. She didn't know if the rush in her head was exciting or disturbing.

"Three days. I would have waited longer, but the snow storm worried me?"

"Was Skyhold hit hard?"

"No, nothing inside the castle walls. As if it wouldn't dare snow on the Inquisition."

"Well it had no problem with snowing on the damn Inquisitor. You think I'd be scarier than the force of your army."

He laughed and pulled her close. He unbuckled her leathers. "I'm trying not to yell at you."

"Yell at me? Because I brought the snow storm?" She pushed his hands away.

He caught her wrists in his big hand. "Because you should have stayed put until I came for you."

"That's silly. How was I supposed to know you'd come for me? If we stayed might die, if we tried for home... There were no good options."

"Because I don't like worrying about you." He dropped her hands and his head. "I don't know how to do this."

"Do what?"

"Be with you. I love you, but you're the Inquisitor. I have no choice to let you go, to send you into danger, when I so desperately want nothing more than to keep you safe."

She grabbed his face between her hands and dragged him to look at her. Her eyes searched his. "Of all the things I hate about my role, worrying you tops it. Every time we make camp, I ask if there is someone taking messages to Skyhold, and send you a note. If it's too hard for you, I understand, we can end this."

"As if that would stop me from caring, from worrying."

They gripped one another, holding fast.

"I'll learn to live with the worry. Thank you for all your notes. I treasure them."

"Even the ones when it's just a bad joke I thought up?"

His laughter shook her body. But his voice was hoarse when it came out. "Especially those."

She pulled back and continued undressing herself. The last two days she hadn't taken it off, only collapsing for a few hours in a shared tent with the others for a few hours before they continued their trudge through the remnants of the storm.

"I'm afraid I'm less than fresh, love. You sure you want to share a tent?"

He dropped his chest plate on top the growing pile of amour. "I'll take my chances. Besides I've been marching for hours. I'm not exactly fresh myself. And last, we're going to sleep."

"Are we?" she asked.

"You were stumbling out there."

"The snow is knee deep. It's hard for me not to stumble." She stood before him in nothing more than her smalls and she pushed those down.

He smiled at her. When he finished undressing, she was naked. He picked her up and slipped her into the bed of furs on the ground. He slipped in next to her. When she wiggled against him, he shook his head.

"Dani, you'd tempt a dead man, but I have far more resolve. When we get back to Skyhold I intend to keep you in bed for at least two days."

Her eyes widened and he pulled her close. "Dani, go to sleep. The Chantry and Templars taught me a lot about resisting temptation. If I can quit lyrium, I can manage one night without making love to you."

Dani frowned. She smiled to herself. He was right, she needed to sleep. A few hours, but she wouldn't return to Skyhold without making love to him.

 

 


	4. Sexual Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen reflects on his feelings. The lovers resolve to get their way. Who will win?

Cullen couldn't sleep. He held her, thankful that he had her in his arms again.

He couldn't shake the worry.

The longing for lyrium, to make him forgot, to make his emotions disappear, hit like a punch. He squeezed his eyes shut and pulled her closer. He had been making progress. At home, at Skyhold, when he felt out of control he took a sword down to the training dummy, or whichever of Bull's chargers was at hand. He didn't have that luxury here. He had to think ahead before charging into the world. He needed coping mechanisms.

Dani relaxed into him and he breathed her in. Dani was a wonderful way to cope with the pain.

There wasn't much light to see her by. But her breathing was even, her body slack. He was reasonably sure she was asleep. He let himself relax. She was safe again. He would treasure that, treasure this, treasure her.

With her body pulled close he let himself fall asleep.

He woke to his cock in a vise. A warm, wet vise. Dani's mouth was wrapped around him. She was ... she was ... oh Maker's bloody balls.

"You're awake."

He said the last part of his oath out loud. He groaned as she licked the head of his cock.

He fisted the furs, while she sucked and licked and dragged him to ecstasy.

He recalled his promise to her. Her tongue swirled and his body clenched. He imagined pulling her away, sinking into her sopping cunt, finding the ecstasy she promised.

It was like moving through sand, but he forced his hands up and grabbed her hair. He pulled her away. He could just make her out in the light that filtered through the flaps in the tent. Outside there were murmurs of the night watch.

"Dani, you aren't winning this one."

He dropped her hands and pushed her onto her back.

"Cullen, you can't possibly—"

"I can and I will." It might kill him, but she needed sleep. He needed to help her relax.

He wrapped his lips around a nipple, while his fingers slid between her slick thighs.

He found the bundle of nerves hidden with her velvet folds. His finger dragged across it, feeling it swell under his attentions.

She was so hot. So ready. So willing. His body begged for release. He pushed the thoughts away. He could deal with a little more frustration for her.

Sweet torture. He pushed one finger into her tight, wet heat. He swallowed his groan, wishing desperately to be _there ___

She reacted as he hoped, her breath coming out in shallow pants. She writhed. Her hands grabbed at him and then dropped away. She whispered his name as a curse, a prayer, a plea.

He put his mouth near her ear. "Come for me, love. Come on my fingers."

"I can't. I need you inside me."

He shook his head. "Take a deep breath. Relax."

She nodded and followed his soft commands. He kept talking to her. "When we get back, I'm going to bathe you. Then tie you to your new bed and make love to you for hours. I want to slide my tongue along your slit, to drink your desire. To flick my tongue against you until you beg me."

"Beg for what?" she said, through clenched teeth. Her back arched, her hips rocked against his hand.

"For my cock. For me to push into your softness, so we are joined." He closed his eyes. He wished he was a poet, a writer like Varric, so he could paint a picture with his words of what he would do to her.

"I'm want to take you to the war room and bend you over the table. I want to make you come so hard that you won't be able to walk into the room without getting wet."

He couldn't take anymore of his own teasing. He wrapped his hand around his cock and stroked himself.

"Come for me Dani. I'll come for you. And tomorrow we'll be home."

She pressed her thighs together, and closed her eyes. He felt her inner walls tighten around his finger as they moved together. He was so close he thought he might come first.

Her body shook and he was surprised at how loud her moans were. He realized quickly she couldn't control them, so he covered them with his mouth, swallowing them.

He pulled his fingers from her and sucked them into his mouth. The smell of her orgasm alone pulled at his groin. He was throbbing as he thrust into his hand.

A shiver started on his shoulders and slid down his spine, turning to an orgasm in his belly and exploding in his hand.

Dani moved herself against him, their naked skin covered in a light sheen of sweat.

"Who won?" she asked through a yawn.

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "I did." He rarely lost. He carefully calculated the risks before taking action and stuck to it. His resolve was endless.

"As usual," she said.

She was as competitive as he was. She hated losing. He never let her win at anything: chess, sparring, dominance in bed. When she won, it was all the sweeter for her.

"It keeps you humble. Wouldn't want you getting full of yourself."

She started to say something but was overtaken by a yawn. He pushed her head down on his shoulder. "Go to sleep."

She laid down, but bit his shoulder. "You're a brat. A born troublemaker."

"Only with you. It's the only place I can let down my hair, be myself. With everyone, and I mean everyone else, I have a reputation to maintain. Even letting you see me weak is difficult."

"You're never weak. You are human. But never weak."

 

 


	5. A New Morning

Dani woke up feeling rested. Cullen was still wrapped around her. His hand shifted and cupped her breast. His thumb circled her nipple. Her nipple, belly and pussy all clenched in response.

She didn't move. "I thought you weren't making love to him me until we were back at Skyhold."

"I said I could manage one night," he murmured, his voice sliding down her back, making her shiver. His hand slid down her front making her shiver more. She felt his smile against the back of her head.

"You're a bad man, Commander."

"You rubbed yourself against me half the night. I barely got any sleep." His breath was hot on her neck the moment before his lips closed on her neck, his teeth scraping.

"How do you know it wasn't payback for refusing me last night?"

"I didn't refuse. I wanted you to get some rest." His hand stilled and his body was rigid.

Her heart sank. He'd taken that the wrong way. She'd meant for it to be teasing, instead she had upset him. She turned over and faced him. Maker's breath, his stubble was nearly a beard, his eyes were ringed dark, lines at the side from worry.

She used her thumb to trace his lips, the scar that bothered him, and all the women thought made him look dashing.

"I was only teasing you. I didn't mean..." She bowed her head. "Fade take me."

"Maker's bloody balls."

She raised her head, brows drawn together. His face was a mirror to her feelings. Upset with herself for not understanding, not explaining.

"Dani, I'm sorry."

She brushed her lips across his forehead, then down his nose and whispered against his lips, "I'm sorry."

He opened his mouth to say something more. But then he kissed her, his tongue saying everything he couldn't find the words for. His lips slipped down her body like a waterfall down the mountain side.

There certainly seemed to be that much moisture between her legs when he kissed her there. His tongue was hot against her, stroking her from blaze of embarrassment to inferno of need. She dug her fingers into his hair needing to touch him.

"The whole camp will hear you." His voice was low in her ear, and she barely noticed that he'd slid up over her. She didn't care, couldn't care. She had lost all her sense, all reason.

He stopped touching her as she teetered on the edge. She scratched her fingernails down his back, a slow light scrape.

She squirmed against him, trying to gain contact. "Please," she whispered.

He covered her mouth with his to muffle her cries, and he thrust into her in one fluid movement. He glided in and out, unhurriedly, as if she wasn't strained thin as ice, ready to crack, if he'd just ... take her a little harder.

She bucked her hips. "Please," she whispered against his mouth. "I need."

"Trust me, love."

She trusted him. But he had endless patience. He enjoyed making their lovemaking last as long as possible. When she opened her eyes, he smiled down at her. She instantly relaxed into the furs. Anytime he smiled, it was a good moment, a good day. All the shit they went through, none of it mattered, if he was happy, even for a moment.

She touched his hair, his shoulders and arms, her fingertips digging into the muscles of his back and his ass, pulling her closer.

He wiggled his hand between them and touched her clit. She purred, when he renewed his thrusting.

And in moments she was flying.

The familiar stutter in his thrust, the hitch of his breathing, the tension in his body meant he was coming.

She bit her bottom lip to keep from shouting their release.

He laid beside her and pulled her tight against him. "I missed you. The worry alone, I thought I might go crazy."

"I'll always come home to you."

"I love you." His eyes smoldered with his emotion. She loved how every feeling, every thought was written on his face.

"I love you more."

He groaned and nuzzled her neck.

The sounds of camp became louder and they could no longer ignore them. "We need to get up. Return to Skyhold," she said.

"The storm seems to have passed. I hope they've healed Bull's foot. We'll never make it anywhere with Dorian fussing."

Dani laughed, pressing her face into his shoulder. She slipped out of the furs. The cold greeting had her dressed in record time.

She pushed Cullen's armor to him. When he was dressed, she rubbed her face in his furry chest. "Take me home, Commander."

"Yes, home. Hopefully Vivienne hasn't taken over and redecorated."

"What?" she asked, pushed away, looking at him to see if he was serious.

"I'm kidding. Josie would never let her." He was smiling again.

"Good. You had me for a moment." She let go of him reluctantly and pushed open the tent flap.

Few people in camp would meet her eyes. She took it personally until they wouldn't meet Cullen's either. And then Bull's and Dorian's.

She sighed. Neither couple was quiet enough to escape notice of their activities. Though she doubted it was the first time for some of them. Cullen lived above his office, and they had sneaked up there for more than one afternoon nap and forgotten to lock his office doors.

She dug into the food that was pushed into her hands, wishing she could lean against Cullen, but fearing any show of weakness. She drew strength from his quiet presence.

He leaned close to her and whispered, "I intend to keep my promise. Two days."

She swallowed. Two days in bed. Oh Maker, what had she gotten into.

 


End file.
